A 15-year-old girl has been remanded in custody after she was charged with disorderly behaviour at a hospital in Derry.

Police arrested her on Monday, June 29, following a breach of her curfew. Officers took her to hospital after she allegedly claimed to have taken a quantity of tablets and refused to allow a blood sample to be taken.

At a court hearing, defence barrister Grainne McAnaney said the 20 days that had passed since the girl’s previous release from custody showed an improvement in her behaviour.

A social worker told the court that she is in contact with the girl several times a week and that she had been coping reasonably well lately, but that she is close to needing a secure placement.

District Judge Suzanne Rice remarked that the girl’s criminal history was unusually serious for someone of her age. She ordered the teenager to be held in custody and scheduled her next appearance for July 7.

The girl cannot be named because of her age.